The upside down witch is a popular character in folklore and children's literature. She is often depicted as a witch who has become disoriented and ends up hanging upside down from a tree or a broomstick. Despite her unusual predicament, the upside down witch is known for her resourcefulness and ability to cast powerful spells. In many stories, the upside down witch is portrayed as a mischievous and eccentric character. Her upside-down existence serves as a metaphor for her unconventional nature and unique approach to magic. She often uses her upside-down position to her advantage, performing spells and potions that only she can master.
Carole & Paula in The Magic Garden: Friends Forever
Carole and Paula, the beloved stars of TV’s iconic The Magic Garden, celebrate their 70 Years of Friendship, and kickoff Halloween, with a fun-filled family concert for all ages! Carole & Paula in The Magic Garden: Friends Forever will transport you right back to childhood as the duo sing The Magic Garden’s classic songs, with Paula on guitar of course, perform a Story Box tale and share behind-the-scenes stories while showing some of their favorite Magic Garden video clips. We hope you’ll come dressed in your Halloween costumes! Plus, everyone is welcome to stay for the post-show Meet and Greet!
One of the most special things about Carole & Paula in The Magic Garden: Friends Forever is the vast number of adults who come to reconnect with their Magic memories. Sparking the joyful, harmonious and creative life we all experienced together in The Magic Garden, where make-believe became a reality.
With three fabulous cast albums, including a Grammy nomination, a popular DVD set, citations from Actions for Children’s Television, and its archive at The Paley Center for Media, the legacy of The Magic Garden will forever remain one of the most valuable and endearing achievements in the history of children’s television. Kids and adults alike will have a magical time at Carole and Paula in The Magic Garden: Friends Forever, with a possible guest appearance by a certain someone who’s nuts for peanuts! Appropriate for ages 2+. Musical Director, Ian Herman.
“A timeless cultural institution. …We hold onto The Magic Garden so ferociously not to wax nostalgic about the magic of childhood, but to keep the magic of childhood with us through adulthood.” Joanna Colangelo, The Huffington Post
Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times describes the show as “emblematic of a seemingly simpler era.”
Carole Demas and Paula Janis Live-Stream “Friends Forever” on Friday, June 4
Carole Demas and Paula Janis are celebrating 67 years of friendship on and off stage with Friends Forever, live-streamng on Friday, June 4 at 7:30 PM ET. The duo, who starred in TV’s classic and now “cult-favorite,” “The Magic Garden,” will offer songs, stories, solos and duets throughout the concert, which can be accessed on-demand after the live performance.
Demas and Janis starred in TVâs most successful regional childrenâs series, “The Magic Garden” for over 12 years, leading to three albums (one a Grammy nominee), hundreds of live family concerts and recent viral posts on Facebook. The pair and the show have a large fan base, not only of children who grew up watching the program, but their children and even their children’s children. âKids understood that we were really friends,â Janis said. âIt wasnât just some made-up show with two people who hardly knew each other.â In fact, the show only had a one-page script—the hostsâ banter was mostly spontaneous.
Demas created the role of Sandy in the original Broadway production of Grease and played the title role in The Baker’s Wife on Broadway. She has also guest-starred in television shows too numerous to mention and also has appeared in films in in commercials. Demas continues to be a cabaret and concert artist in major New York City venues and beyond.
Janis traveled widely as a solo musician and folk singer, performing everywhere from Greenwich Villageâs Café Wha? to political campaign events at Madison Square Garden. Joining the folk trio, The
WeeâUns, as lead vocalist and musician, she enjoyed appearing on television, at university concerts and at
such major venues as The Manhattan Center and Carnegie Hall.
For more information and tickets, please click here or phone 917-740-9694.
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‘Magic Garden’ with Carole and Paula in Bay Shore
That’s a familiar greeting for many who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s watching the popular children’s program “The Magic Garden” on WPIX/11. Now celebrating the show’s 45th anniversary, the stars, Carole Demas and Paula Janis, are bringing it to the stage at the YMCA Boulton Center in Bay Shore on Sunday, Nov. 26.
“We get three generations in the audience. It’s quite astonishing,” says Janis, 77. “They care, they remember and they are all adorable.”
FRIENDS FOREVER
“The Magic Garden” has roots that go back to 1954, when Demas and Janis met as 14-year-olds at Midwood High School in Brooklyn.
“We had an affinity for each other,” says Demas, 77. “In chorus, Paula was an alto and I was a soprano. There was a lot of camaraderie between us.”
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The duo attended New York University graduate school, where they got their degrees in early childhood education. They ended up co-teaching a double enrollment kindergarten at P.S. 7 in Brooklyn with 50 kids in the class.
When Demas, also a working actress, went on an audition to host a cartoon show at WPIX, she pitched the programmers an alternative show.
“I believed in us and thought it could be really special,” remembers Demas. “It inspired them. Once they met Paula and we played for them, they said, ‘You two have a chemistry that no one can match.’ ”
LIVELY LIVE SHOW
These days, Demas and Janis revive the series in staged events from time to time. They come out wearing colorful beaded vests and sit on the original mushrooms from the set singing “The Magic Garden Song,” “The Open Window Song” and, of course, “The Hello Song.”
“On the TV show we’d say, ‘Hello to Freddie, Jackie, Bobby and Suzie.’ Kids would be waiting to hear their name. We ask the crowd in the live show, ‘How many of you are still waiting?’ Hands go up all over the theater,” Janis says. “We tell them if they stay after the show and you tell us your name, we will sing you a snippet of ‘The Hello Song.’ ”
The Story Box is another popular segment that they re-create, reaching in the box (now a bag for convenience) to find wigs, props and masks that they use to tell a story.
To add more old-school flavor, Sherlock the Squirrel, operated and voiced by the show’s original puppeteer, Cary Antebi, pops up to cause some mischief and injects some laughs.
“Sherlock is slightly devilish and always involved with something goofy,” Janis says. “All he wants is to be rewarded with peanuts.”
After a performance of “See Ya,” the hourlong show is followed by a meet-and-greet session.
LASTING LEGACY
The pair established a long-lasting legacy that awarded them entry into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.
“People wanted to believe our friendship is real and they are excited when they find out that it is,” Demas says. “Sixty-three years later and we are still the best of friends. As long as we are making people happy, we are going to keep doing it.”
CAROLE & PAULA of ‘THE MAGIC GARDEN’
WHEN | WHERE Noon and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at the YMCA Boulton Center, 37 West Main St., Bay Shore
ADMISSION $20 ($15 ages 12 and younger)
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL UNCOVERED
In 2013, there was a flood in the basement at WPIX, where old tapes and film were stored. Digital executive editor Rolando Pujol rescued a box marked “The Magic Garden.” Inside was a 1981 hourlong holiday special called “A Magic Garden Christmas.”
“We venture out of the Magic Garden looking for a Christmas tree,” Janis recalls. “We find a tree and Sherlock is up in it visiting his squirrel friends.”
Demas and Janis, who own the special, had it transferred, cleaned it up and edited. The program now runs annually before Christmas and will air this year at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, on WPIX. — David J. Criblez
By David J. CriblezDavid J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
She often uses her upside-down position to her advantage, performing spells and potions that only she can master. The upside down witch is also renowned for her wisdom and knowledge of mystical creatures and plants. She is often sought after by other witches and wizards for her advice and expertise.
Despite her idiosyncrasies, she is respected and admired by others in the magical world. Interestingly, the upside down witch is not always portrayed as an antagonist. Some versions of the character depict her as a friendly and helpful figure who assists protagonists in their quests or provides guidance in times of need. In these stories, her upside-down position is seen as a symbol of her unique perspective and ability to see things from a different angle. The upside down witch has captured the imaginations of both children and adults alike. Her whimsical and peculiar nature makes her a compelling and memorable character in folklore and literature. Whether she is casting spells, dispensing advice, or simply hanging upside down, the upside down witch continues to captivate readers and inspire their own flights of fancy..
Reviews for "Indulge in the enchantment of upside down witch cakes"
Alex - rating: 2/5
I was really excited to read "Upside Down Witch Kes" after hearing so many great reviews, but I have to say I was thoroughly disappointed. The plot was confusing and disjointed, jumping from one scene to another without any clear connection. The characters were also underdeveloped, and I found it difficult to connect with any of them. Overall, I felt like the story lacked direction and failed to draw me in. I was left feeling unsatisfied and wishing I had picked a different book to read.
Emily - rating: 1/5
I have read my fair share of witch-themed books, and "Upside Down Witch Kes" is by far the worst one I have ever come across. The writing was poor, with numerous grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to believe in the characters or the story. The pacing was also off, with some parts dragging on for far too long while others were rushed through without proper development. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-crafted witch tale.
Brandon - rating: 2/5
I don't understand all the hype surrounding "Upside Down Witch Kes". The story lacks depth and originality, feeling like a recycled version of other witch stories I've read before. The characters are one-dimensional and unmemorable, and the plot twists are predictable. The writing style also left much to be desired, with excessive use of cliches and overly descriptive passages that slowed down the pace of the story. Overall, I found "Upside Down Witch Kes" to be underwhelming and would not recommend it to others looking for a captivating witch novel.